20161015

#IssaEats: Soban K-Town Grill in Eastwood!

If you knew me well enough, I almost rarely go get Korean food. Unless it's part of buffets or spontaneous choices, Korean food would always be at the back of my mind because of how foreign it is to me. So when I had the chance to review Soban K-Town Grill, I didn't hesitate! I wanted to check out what the Korean cuisine has to offer.

Upon arriving in Soban, I was greeted by friendly staff and the owners. They were very sweet and great to talk with. They started out small and with the aim of serving authentic and homemade Korean food, so that pumped me up! Not only do they have a branch in Eastwood, but a restaurant in BGC and Alabang (opening soon) as well.

So we started out with the usual appetizers. These are unlimited, by the way, when you order their set meals! You've got your kimchi, bean sprout salad, mashed potatoes, soy beans, their Korean omelette, and cucumbers! I would definitely ignore the cucumbers, soy beans, and mashed potatoes, though. They're good, but save some room for your stomach! I love the omelette and how firm it has, as well as how flavorful it was. The kimchi was the right amount of spice and flavor, but if you're not up for spice, then the bean sprout salad is perfect. It's sweet but with the taste of the spice you want. The set comes with soup, which I unfortunately didn't try out. Then again, save room for the rest to come!

We then had our meat grilled! We got two types of meat: Pork and beef. They were marinated in four different ways: You have your original, fruity, chili bean, and soy garlic. I lean towards the original marinade of the beef, which had so much flavor! It was juicy, the right amount of chewy, and definitely something to enjoy whether alone or wrapped in the lettuce leaves. The second choice would be the pork, while the remaining two flavors (chili bean and soy garlic) were good, but didn't make as huge of an impact as the former two did.

We wrapped our meat in a lettuce wrap (for those who are on a diet, skip the rice and go green!). Add a bit of garlic and sauce, and it makes for a good combination.

But if you're a carb lover like me, they've got plain or kimchi rice, which was delicious! The others were laughing over how spicy it was, but I didn't feel it at all. It tasted great, but not super spicy. Might just be me, though.

We tried the other dishes as well. First off would be their kimchi fries. I LOVE the toppings and the combination of cheese and kimchi. I would actually eat the toppings alone without the fries (I had more toppings than fries actually, I think I only ate two? LOL).

Their Korean tacos are the BEST. And I'm surprised as to how affordable they are for a huge size! We had to split it into two. The flavors were perfect, I love that it's easy to eat compared to other soft tacos, and that there's a Korean twist to one of my old favorites. Definitely would recommend!

Their dag bulgogi (fried chicken) had a honey glaze and it was crunchy and VERY good. I swear, I love their breading and the sweet and salty flavors mixing together perfectly. Am not a fan of anything honey glazed (on chicken!), but this one hits the spot.

Their jap chae is nicely portioned and fit for two people, and it was good. Not much flavor as I expected it to have (probably because there are more noodles than toppings), but I still appreciated it.

Last but not the least, their bibimbap! Absolutely delicious. This may be my favorite from the bunch (along with the tacos!). It was HUGE, and that's their solo! I love the blend of everything. It's warm, it's got all the vegetables and meat and rice and aaaaaaah no words can be said. I would point this at you and force you to order it if you're hungry and want a nicely portioned meal. Ask the waiters to mix it for you if you don't know how (like me!).

AAAAAND dessert! My most favorite part! We had ice cream! AAAAH. The coffee prince ice cream came with graham and Korean red beans, topped with chocolate. So good! It kind of reminds me of a Korean version of a mango float, but sweeter with the taste of coffee bursting. It did kind of overpower the graham, though, as I wasn't able to fully get the taste of everything together.

The ice cream trio was REALLY good. Different from all the ice cream brands I've tried (believe me when I say I try a lot of ice cream). It has the same yummy flavor but there's something different that makes me remember it! The cookies and cream and vanilla would be my favorite, leaning only a BIT more towards vanilla (but that's because I LOVE me some vanilla ice cream!)

By that time, I was feeling dead from a mini food baby (I probably looked 3 months pregnant?). But we had cocktails! We had Galaxy and the Black Dragon. I loved the Galaxy cocktail because f how cute the design was, and because it had more of a kick to it. More flavor, maybe more alcohol, more fun! Love the slushy, just don't let it sit as it will melt and goodbye flavor!

The Black Dragon was nice. Good balance of black tea and alcohol. The glasses were topped with sugar, making it a nice and sweet flavor with that tang in the end.

Overall, I had a wonderful experience in Soban! I loved everything about it, from the spacious area with good and peaceful ambiance (wish it had more lights to bring in a happier mood and to make the photos look better!), down to the very accommodating and friendly staff. Will I go back again? From Mandaluyong to Eastwood? DEFINITELY worth the trip and you'll see me there again getting ice cream and a bibimbap!

Oh, and did you see my hoodie?! #TeamAldous! I'm the baby of the group (being the youngest… and cutest char jk), but benevolent? Ha! But hey, if you want to order this design (Help a gal out and support me!), then you can order it from Aldous (http://aldousatetheworld.com/)! Part of what you pay goes to charity. ;)